Holding Court

ByDonnie Radcliffe

November 17, 1978

Reprinted from yesterday's late editions

The road to Morocco led to Cleveland Park Wednesday night where King Hassan II and his two young princes held court for 350 Washington commoners, among them Miss Lillian, mother of the president, and Henry Kissinger, father of shuttle diplomacy.

"I really have a very warm feeling for him," said Kissinger momentarily turning serious. "He's the first Arab leader I visited before Sadat. He sent a messenger to Sadat that I was coming."

Apparently Miss Lillian also had a warm feeling, since she arrived carrying the pearl-studded tortoise-shell walking stick Hassan had given her last July when she visited Morocco.

"You don't need it," said the king, nonetheless pleased.

"I wanted to wear it." she replied.

When a reporter raised the question that maybe the tortoise shell in her cane was from a tortoise on the endangered species list, Miss Lillian raised her eyebrows and looked around with innocent surprise.

"Where is his majesty?" she asked. "I'm going to tell him you said that."

There was, however, no immediate indication that the tortoise shell in Miss Lillian's cane was from a hawksbill turtle, the only one on the U.S. Department of Interior's endangered species list. Nor was the king anywhere to be found by this time, since he had returned to Blair House for a meeting with Secretary of State Cyrus Vance.

Earlier, Hassan and his sons, all wearing fez and white jellabas, had received a steady stream of well-wishers, including Mayor and Mrs. Walter Washington ,who brought the key to the city; CIA Director Stansfield Turner; the Russian, French, Iranian, Egyptian, Pakistani and Nicaraguan ambassadors; former Sen. J. William Fulbright, former Chief of Protocol Marion H. Smoak, and Morocco's Honorary Consul Joanne Herring of Houston, Tex.

"I'm the only consul of Morrocco the king ever personally appointed," said Herring, who also acts as Pakistan's consul-on-the-spot in Houston. "He said, 'Are you working hard?" I was just touched."

Buffet tables were heaped with Moroccan fare, including barbecued lamb, partidge pie, couscous and other delicacies prepared in the embassy's own kitchen. It has also been providi g Hassan's food at Blair House.

The king seemed anxious that his guests not go home hungry. he personally inspected the table, instructing waiters how to carve the lamb. After posing or pictures, he dismissed photographers. "Let the guests eat something - please," he royally commanded.